Akon, the veteran artist, is no stranger to investing in Africa. In 2020, he pledged to invest $6 billion in Senegal to develop a futuristic pan-African city. The Locked Up artist, who spent the majority of his upbringing in the West African country, stated that the city will adopt the cryptocurrency AKoin.
The rapper told the Associated Press that he believed the initiative would create jobs for locals in the West African nation as well as act as a “home back home” for Black Americans and other individuals in the diaspora who face racial discrimination.
“If nothing [else] happens, the city will be done and mentally people know that it’s something possible to do in Africa,” he recently said of Akon City, adding that he and his team are working under an estimated 10-year plan.
Akon’s advocacy for Africa appears to extend beyond his future pan-African city. He now wants African Americans to take the lead in Africa’s economic development. He wants them to seriously consider Africa as an investment destination.
On REVOLT’s podcast “Assets Over Liabilities,” he argued that Africa represents “the holy grail” of freedom and generational riches.
“Africa is in a position where if African Americans take position now, every single African American would be a millionaire without even thinking twice because there’s nothing that’s not needed over there. So, you guys come with the discipline, you guys come with the knowledge, you come with the resources,” Akon told hosts Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings.
Extending on his point, he stated that blacks are playing significant roles in the American economy, driving up revenue in industries such as sports, entertainment, fashion, and medicine.
“I mean, you name it. We’re leading in every single sector,” he said. “Just imagine if we all just decided to just take all our bags, withdrew all our money and go to Africa. Where would America be today? It would collapse overnight.”
Watch the full interview here: